In one aspect, this invention relates to a process for hydrovisbreaking liquid hydrocarbon-containing feed streams so as to produce lower boiling hydrocarbons. In another aspect, this invention relates to the use of a new inorganic molybdenum and sulfur containing catalyst composition in a hydrovisbreaking process so as to minimize coke formation.
It is well known to hydrotreat (hydrofine) liquid hydrocarbon-containing feed streams such as heavy oils, which contain undesirable metal and sulfur compounds as impurities and also considerable amounts of cokable materials (referred to as Ramsbottom carbon residue), so as to convert them to lower boiling materials having lower molecular weight than the feed hydrocarbons and to remove at least a portion of metal and sulfur impurities and cokable materials. A specific type of hydrotreating process is heat-soaking, preferably with agitation, in the presence of hydrogen but preferably in the absence of a fixed catalyst bed, hereinafter referred to as hydrovisbreaking.
One of the operational problems of such hydrovisbreaking processes is the formation of undesirably high amounts of coke, which represent losses in hydrocarbonaceous materials and also may necessitate a costly separation step. Therefore, there is an ever present need to develop new oil hydrotreating processes utilizing efficient hydrotreating agents designed to reduce coke formation.